Triangle J Area Agency on Aging

Helping After a Disaster

When disaster strikes, people everywhere want to help those in need. To ensure that this compassion and generosity are put to good use the Federal Emergency Management Agency asks you to consider these facts:

Financial aid is an immediate need of disaster victims. Financial contributions should be made through a recognized voluntary organization to help ensure that contributions are put to their intended use.
Before donating food or clothing, wait for instructions from local officials. Immediately after a disaster, relief workers usually don't have time or facilities to setup distribution channels, and too often these items go to waste.
Volunteers should go through a recognized voluntary agency such as the American Red Cross or Salvation Army. They know what is needed and are prepared to deal with the need. Local emergency services officials also coordinate volunteer efforts for helping in disasters.
Organizations and community groups wishing to donate items should first contact local officials, the American Red Cross, or Salvation Army to find out what is needed and where to send it. Be prepared to deliver the items to one place, tell officials when you'll be there, and provide for transportation, driver, and unloading.

Woman Sitting in Front of Destroyed Home

In NC, the Governor's Disaster Hotline has been used for both people needing assistance and those wanting to donate either time, money, or goods.

North Carolina Governor's Toll-Free Disaster Hotline

1-888-835-9966

Are You a Health Professional?

The State Medical Assistance Team is a rapid medical statewide response team capable of a 4 to 6 hour response time when activated and is capable of responding to assist the citizens of North Carolina in a crisis situation. It was put into place by the North Carolina Office of Emergency Medical Service in 2004, with funds from the Health Resources and Services Administration bio-terrorism grant. They can respond locally, regionally, statewide, or out-of-state.

They offer:

specialized rapid decontamination
rapid strike team medical assistance
rapid response 50 bed medical unit
management of a 150 bed special medical needs facility
establishment of a mass drug distribution/immunization site
medical field stations
air lift medical transport
rehab services for other emergency response groups
medical assistance to law enforcement
on-site responder rehabilitation
preventative medical assessments
mass fatality assistance
hospital decontamination

Volunteers include physicians, physician assistants, nurses, paramedics, firefighters, law enforcement, veterinarians, medical/hazmat/ and support personnel - all trained in working in a disaster early response environment. Volunteers would be registered in the Emergency System for Advanced Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals group or ESAR-VHP.

The registration process is simple and takes no more than 15 minutes. Those interested should go to SERVNC. During registration you will be asked for contact information, deployment preferences, medical history, occupation and skills. If not already assigned to a response team, registrants may request to join a team already listed on SERVNC.

In the event of an emergency, the system will electronically check the volunteers’ medical credentials, send a message to the volunteers via e-mail, telephone and/or pager, and provide notification of all mission specific information and instructions for accepting or declining the mission.

The SERVNC registry will provide the backup our first responders will need in the event of a disaster or emergency.

If you are trained in one of the above areas of expertise and want to volunteer with your professional peers, more information is provided below.

*photo courtesy Special Operations Response Team

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